The System Management tasks are simplified. The OnDemand Administration component of IBM Navigator for i has been included in IBM Content Manager OnDemand for i (5761-RD1 and 5770-RD1). IBM Content Manager OnDemand for i can be ordered through the Passport Advantage® ordering system.

New function in the HMC, through provisioning of virtual I/O server partition, simplifies the initial setup steps and allows install of the partition using the HMC.

Improved error detection in Systems Director Manager is extended to allow monitoring and management of detected errors on IBM i systems.

IBM Mobile Database, announced October 2012, now supports DB2 for i with a mobile option for accessing data.

Zend Server for IBM i Version 6 supports the development of mobile applications as well as providing capabilities for application awareness, auditing, and authentication.

Note: In this announcement letter, the term Technology Refresh 6 refers to the set of PTFs required to support new hardware functionality. The term Technology Update refers to the multiple PTFs or PTF groups that will provide additional functionality in IBM i and related products. The term Technology Refresh is widely used to group both of these together. Availability of IBM i 7.1 TR6 and related products are available as noted in the Description section.

IBM i

DB2 for IBM i

In the tradition of previous Technology Refreshes, the self-managing value proposition of DB2 for IBM i is again being extended to provide new capabilities and built-in improvements for better performance and usability. Moving up to the suggested DB2 PTF Group will result in a database that runs better, faster, and smarter.

Security

To ensure that table-specific security policies can be deployed efficiently, a new control on the Database open exit program can be chosen to limit exit program scope to cases where *ALL object auditing is being used.

Better performance

IBM i Navigator is improved to operate more efficiently with larger data sets, making it easier to use the advanced tooling capabilities within the DB2 for IBM i OnDemand Performance Center.

New and improved advice appears for Index Advisor in the form of OR predicates, making it easier to fine tune an index strategy.

Programming and command interfaces

SQL triggers are extended to handle insert, update, and delete events within a single trigger. This new capability can reduce the number of trigger programs, deploy triggers more quickly, and realize improved business controls with triggers.

Direct control over table, view, and index system names makes it simpler to manage the database using the FOR SYSTEM NAME clause.

The new system naming capability for DB2 Connect users makes it easier to use library lists as a technique for library transparency.

Database management

To improve efficiency of applications using database files/tables, the reorganize physical file member command is enhanced to target a starting point within the table, making it easier to target and eliminate fragmentation.

The DB2 Health Center will now demonstrate automatic tracking of system limits, an important health indicator and capability to understand and identify dangerous workload trends.

Additional enhancements

There are many additional enhancements for DB2 for i in Technology Refresh 6.

Visit the IBM i Technology Updates wiki on developerWorks® to learn more about these and other DB2 for IBM i enhancements

Zend Server for IBM i Version 6

Zend Server for IBM i Version 6 and Zend Studio for IBM i Version 10 extend the PHP environment on IBM i to help create and run mobile apps that work with IBM i applications. Zend Studio creates mobile apps ready for deployment to iOS, Android, Windows Phone, and more platforms.

Zend Server for IBM i Version 6 includes new enterprise-grade features for managing PHP applications such as administration, auditability, and management.

For a complete list of details about the new Zend Server for IBM i Version 6, refer to

Hardware support enhancements:

New systems

IBM i 7.1 and IBM i 6.1 with 6.1.1 machine code now support the new IBM Power 710, 720, 730, 740, 750, and 760 POWER7+ models. These new systems, announced today, use the latest POWER7+ processor technology. They are designed to deliver increased performance and reliability for small business workloads.

IBM i 7.1 offers both native and virtual I/O support on these new models.

IBM i 6.1 with machine code 6.1.1 is supported as a virtual client of IBM i 7.1 or VIOS on the POWER7+ models. This means that all I/O must be virtual, served by either IBM i 7.1 or VIOS.

IBM i 6.1 with machine code 6.1.1 native I/O support is announced for the following POWER7+ models: 710, 720, 730, 740, 770, and 780. To implement this support, clients must order the chargeable hardware feature EB34, extending their configuration options to include native I/O attachment in addition to virtual attachment. Native I/O support for POWER7+ models 750 and 760 is available with IBM i 7.1 only.

USB flash drives

Use of USB attached Flash Drives is now supported for both direct attach and iVirtualization (where IBM i is serving I/O to a virtual client IBM i partition, or where IBM i is a virtual client of an IBM i partition) configurations with IBM i 7.1 TR 6 on POWER7® systems. Flash drives, also referred to as memory keys or thumb drives, are very small pluggable devices that do not have removable media. Due to lack of reliability of flash drives, in general, they are not recommended as backup devices, but they are very handy and useful for data movement types of operations.

The USB flash ports on POWER7 and POWER7+ system units can be used for this purpose, but USB ports on PCIe adapters are not supported.

NPIV attachment for SVC and Storwize storage

IBM i 7.1 partitions on POWER7+ and POWER7 servers can now use N_Port ID Virtualization (NPIV) to attach IBM SAN Volume Controller (SVC) and IBM Storwize V7000, V3700 storage systems. Setting up configurations to share adapters is simpler with NPIV than with the currently supported VSCSI protocol.

Additional hardware support enhancements:

IBM i 7.1 TR6 includes additional hardware support enhancements. These include the following:

Support under VIOS of the new 16Gb PCIe Fibre Channel Adapter (#EN0A/#EN0B) and 4-port CNA/FCoE Adapter (#EN0H/#EN0J) and Multifunction Card (#EN10/#EN11)

System SSL support for Transport Layer Security version 1.2

IBM i Secure Sockets Layer has been enhanced to support the latest industry standards of Transport Layer Security version 1.2 (TLSv1.2) and Transport Layer Security version 1.1 (TLSv1.1) protocols. The TLSv1.2 protocol uses SHA2 hashing algorithms. System SSL also supports the Online Certificate Status Protocol (OCSP) during the certificate validation process. OCSP is used for checking the revocation status of end entity certificates.

Digital Certificate Manager (DCM) options on the Application Definition configuration panels allow many of the core IBM networking applications (Telnet, FTP, and so on) to use these new protocols and enable OCSP. Applications making use of a System SSL programming interface or the Global Secure Toolkit (GSKit) System SSL programming interface can switch to the new protocols by making changes to the code and recompiling.

IBM Content Manager OnDemand for i

IBM Content Manager OnDemand for i announces support for the OnDemand Administration component for IBM Navigator for i. Navigator for i is a web console interface used to perform key tasks for IBM i administration. The OnDemand Administration component of Navigator for i supports all of the tasks currently available in the OnDemand Archive plugin of the System i® Navigator Windows client application. However, unlike the Windows client application, nothing needs to be installed on the workstation to use Systems Director Navigator for i.

The OnDemand Administration component is part of the base Content Manager OnDemand for i software. The OnDemand Administration component can be accessed with a browser through the web-based system management interface. Simply point the browser to the system name for the IBM i operating system. For example: http:// systemName :2001

IBM PowerHA SystemMirror for i

With the addition of LUN (logical unit) switching capability, IBM PowerHA SystemMirror for i (5770-HAS) now supports SAN Volume Controller (SVC) and Storwize V7000 and V3700. This support extends the options that are available to customers, improving reliability and availability. The LUN switching technology allows one copy of an independent auxiliary storage pool (IASP) to switch between two separate IBM i instances. It is typically used in conjunction with Metro Mirror or Global Mirror to provide a higher-level of protection against failures. Note that LUN switching is available only when using N_Port ID Virtualization (NPIV) attachment of a storage device.

Additional enhancements to the PowerHA SystemMirror product are also available.

All DS8000® , SAN Volume Controller, and Storwize V7000 PowerHA functionality is now available through the new PowerHA GUI, which is available under IBM Navigator for i.

A new command interface, Work with CAD Monitored Resource Entries (WRKCADMRE), has been created, offering improved sorting, filtering, and searchability for large number of MREs.

Administrative domain entries can be added or removed when not all nodes are active in the cluster.

Administrative domain, FlashCopy® , and copy services functions are now fully cluster enabled so that all work can be initiated from any active cluster node.

Geographic mirroring synchronization priority can be changed while the IASP is varied on.

PowerHA submitted jobs are now associated with the QCSTJOBD job description instead of the QBATCH job description.

All of the PowerHA SystemMirror for i enhancements will be available through PTF by March 30, 2013. For more information regarding the enhancements to IBM PowerHA SystemMirror for i, visit developerWorks

HMC enhancements

HMC V7 R7.7.0 is enhanced with a new GUI for provisioning the Virtual I/O Server partition.

With new HMC function, a virtual I/O server partition can be provisioned through the HMC console user interface. The function simplifies the virtual I/O server partition initial setup steps and allows the user to automatically install the partition using the HMC.

HMC provides enhanced support when users transition from IVM to HMC management. The function allows the HMC to discover the virtual client partition information from IVM and translate to HMC partition configuration data automatically. This simplifies the HMC setup process when a user is transitioning from IVM.

For more information about HMC enhancements, see the DeveloperWorks Hardware topic

Flex Systems Manager enhancements

IBM Flex Systems Manager was updated in November 2012 to provide support for Live Partition Mobility (LPM) with IBM i. This delivers on IBM's prior statement of direction to provide PowerVM® LPM support for IBM i partitions on IBM PureFlex Systems.

IBM Systems Director Service and Support Manager for IBM i

IBM Systems Director Service and Support Manager for IBM i is extended to allow an administrator to monitor and manage detected errors on IBM i systems. Additionally, the Service and Support Manager will allow administrators to report the error directly to IBM , by opening a service request. The errors can be platform errors, local hardware errors affecting an IBM i partition, or software errors reported by IBM i operating system. The Service and Support Manager also supports inventory and performance data collection and reporting for IBM i systems.

IBM Systems Director Service and Support Manager supports problem reporting for IBM i systems at release 7.1, on which PTF SI47798 must be installed. In IBM Systems Director V6.3.2, Service and Support Manager only supports HMC managed IBM i systems.

IBM Mobile Database

IBM Mobile Database is a full-featured, small footprint database for mobile devices. The IBM Mobile Database is an IBM solidDB® data server that is optimized for mobile use. IBM DB2 for i can be used as a source for the data.

IBM Mobile Database is a relational database currently supported on an Android device, typically used as an embedded database accessed through an application. Together with IBM solidDB and its advanced replication and Universal Cache capabilities, data can be synchronized between the mobile devices and IBM DB2 databases such as DB2 for i.

IBM i License Transfer

The IBM i Entitlement Transfer offering is modified to allow the transfer from higher-level Power servers (P20, P30, P50, which are Transfer Groups 1, 2, and 3) to IBM Flex Systems p260 and p460 Compute Nodes (P10, Transfer Group 6).

Eligible receiving machines: The following IBM Flex System p260 and p460 Compute Nodes are now in Group 6.

Clients may transfer eligible IBM i processor entitlements for the standard entitlement transfer fee (the fee for transferring a processor to the same or lower group level).

Upon a transfer from Group 1, 2, or 3 to a Flex System, one IBM i Unlimited User entitlement will be automatically created on the receiving Flex System. There will only be one IBM i Unlimited User entitlement on a machine.

If a customer transfers five IBM i processor entitlements to the receiving Flex System, one IBM i Unlimited User entitlement is created on the Flex System.

If at a later time, a client transfers one or more additional IBM i processor entitlements from a donor machine to a Flex System that already has an IBM i Unlimited User entitlement, the result will still be one IBM i Unlimited User entitlement on the receiving Flex System.

An IBM i Unlimited User entitlement can coexist with a quantity of users on a machine.

The following IBM i entitlement transfers between groups are valid:

Transfer within groups 1, 2, and 3

Transfer within groups 4, 5, and 6

Transfer from group 1, 2, and 3 to group 6

All other transfer and eligibility requirements are in effect, which are detailed in the IBM i Processor and User Entitlement Transfer guide, available at

Donor machine: Power 740 (8205-E6C), which is Group 1. Receiving machine: IBM Flex System p260 Compute Node (7895-23X), which is Group 6. The receiving machine has no IBM i software entitlements on it.

The client wants to transfer two IBM i processor entitlements from the donor machine to the receiving machine. The client pays two times the transfer charge (for transfer to same or lower group). The result on the receiving machine:

Two IBM i processor entitlements

One IBM i Unlimited User entitlement

Donor machine: Power 770 (9117-MMB), which is Group 2. Receiving machine: IBM PureFlex System p260 Compute Node (7895-23X), which is Group 6. The receiving machine has existing IBM i software entitlements on it: one IBM i processor entitlement and a quantity of 10 IBM i user entitlements.

The client wants to transfer two IBM i processor entitlements from the donor machine to the receiving machine. The client pays two times the transfer charge (for transfer to same or lower group). The result on the receiving machine:

IBM plans to provide IBM i native support for Lotus Notes® Traveler on IBM i 6.1, 7.1, and later. With the IBM i native support, IBM i users would be able to deploy Lotus Notes Traveler server on IBM i to keep a consolidated and simplified environment.

IBM plans to expand the IBM Connections supported server platforms to include support of IBM i. Additional details will be forthcoming. For more information about IBM Connections, visit

IBM plans to natively support attachment of the IBM Storwize V3700 to certain IBM POWER7+ systems with a future update to the IBM i 7.1 operating system. This planned support would be in addition to the existing IBM PowerVM (VIOS) support.

IBM's statements regarding its plans, directions, and intent are subject to change or withdrawal without notice at IBM's sole discretion. Information regarding potential future products is intended to outline our general product direction and it should not be relied on in making a purchasing decision. The information mentioned regarding potential future products is not a commitment, promise, or legal obligation to deliver any material, code, or functionality. Information about potential future products may not be incorporated into any contract. The development, release, and timing of any future features or functionality described for our products remains at our sole discretion.

Business Partner information

If you are a Direct Reseller - System Reseller acquiring products from IBM, you may link directly to Business Partner information for this announcement. A PartnerWorld ID and password are required (use IBM ID).

Software requirements

IBM i 7.1 Technology Refresh PTF Group Level 6 will be available on February 13, 2013, for the hardware support enhancements in this announcement. Note that some of the systems and hardware features will be generally available after February. IBM i 6.1 support for the hardware support enhancements in this announcement will be generally available on March 8, 2013. See the developerWorks hardware topic for details about specific general availability dates

The program's specifications and specified operating environment information may be found in documentation accompanying the program, if available, such as a readme file, or other information published by IBM , such as an announcement letter. Documentation and other program content may be supplied only in the English language.

Limitations

Full native I/O support by IBM i 7.1 is provided, but IBM i 6.1 I/O support of these POWER7+ servers requires the purchase of the IBM i 6.1.1 Native I/O hardware feature (#EB34). Another option is for all IBM i 6.1.1 I/O to be virtualized by either IBM i 7.1 or by VIOS. This does not require the purchase of feature EB34. Also note that not all I/O can be virtualized, including asynchronous communication adapters and cryptographic adapters. IBM i 6.1 is orderable on PureFlex systems as an MES. IBM i 6.1 is not orderable on initial orders of PureFlex hardware.

IBM Electronic Support

The IBM Support Portal is your gateway to technical support. This includes IBM Electronic Support tools and resources, for software and hardware, to help save time and simplify support. The Electronic Support tools can help you find answers to questions, download fixes, troubleshoot, automate data collection, submit and track problems through the Service Request online tool, and build skills. All these tools are made available through your IBM support agreement, at no additional charge.

Security, auditability, and control

These programs use the security and auditability features of the host hardware or software. The customer is responsible for evaluation, selection, and implementation of security features, administrative procedures, and appropriate controls in application systems and communication facilities.

IBM Software Services has the breadth, depth, and reach to manage your services needs. You can leverage the deep technical skills of our lab-based, software services team and the business consulting, project management, and infrastructure expertise of our IBM Global Services team. Also, we extend our IBM Software Services reach through IBM Business Partners to provide an extensive portfolio of capabilities. Together, we provide the global reach, intellectual capital, industry insight, and technology leadership to support a wide range of critical business needs.

To learn more about IBM Software Services or to contact a Software Services sales specialist, visit

The information provided in this announcement letter is for reference and convenience purposes only. The terms and conditions that govern any transaction with IBM are contained in the applicable contract documents such as the IBM International Program License Agreement, IBM International Passport Advantage Agreement, and the IBM Agreement for Acquisition of Software Maintenance.

Licensing

IBM International Program License Agreement including the License Information document and Proof of Entitlement (PoE) govern your use of the program. PoEs are required for all authorized use.

This software license includes Software Subscription and Support (also referred to as Software Maintenance).

Agreement for Acquisition of Software Maintenance

The IBM Agreement for Acquisition of Software Maintenance (Z125-6011) applies for Subscription and Support (also referred to as Software Maintenance) and does not require customer signatures.

These programs are licensed under the IBM Program License Agreement (IPLA) and the associated Agreement for Acquisition of Software Maintenance, which provide for support with ongoing access to releases and versions of the program. IBM includes one year of Software Subscription and Support (also referred to as Software Maintenance) with the initial license acquisition of each program acquired. The initial period of Software Subscription and Support can be extended by the purchase of a renewal option, if available. These programs have a one-time license charge for use of the program and an annual renewable charge for the enhanced support that includes telephone assistance (voice support for defects during normal business hours), as well as access to updates, releases, and versions of the program as long as support is in effect.

License Information form number

The program's License Information will be available for review on the IBM Software License Agreement website

Limited warranty applies

Yes

Limited warranty

IBM warrants that when the program is used in the specified operating environment, it will conform to its specifications. The warranty applies only to the unmodified portion of the program. IBM does not warrant uninterrupted or error-free operation of the program or that IBM will correct all program defects. You are responsible for the results obtained from the use of the program.

IBM provides you with access to IBM databases containing information on known program defects, defect corrections, restrictions, and bypasses at no additional charge. For further information, consult the IBM Software Support Handbook found at

IBM will maintain this information for at least one year after the original licensee acquires the program (warranty period).

Money-back guarantee

If for any reason you are dissatisfied with the program and you are the original licensee, you may obtain a refund of the amount you paid for it, if within 30 days of your invoice date you return the program and its PoE to the party from whom you obtained it. If you downloaded the program, you may contact the party from whom you acquired it for instructions on how to obtain the refund.

For clarification, note that for programs acquired under any of IBM's On/Off Capacity on Demand (On/Off CoD) software offerings, this term does not apply since these offerings apply to programs already acquired and in use by you.

Volume orders (IVO)

Yes. Contact your IBM representative.

Passport Advantage applies

No

Software Subscription and Support applies

Yes. All distributed software licenses include Software Subscription and Support (also referred to as Software Maintenance) for a period of 12 months from the date of acquisition, providing a streamlined way to acquire IBM software and assure technical support coverage for all licenses. Extending coverage for a total of three years from date of acquisition may be elected.

While your Software Subscription and Support is in effect, IBM provides you assistance for your routine, short duration installation and usage (how-to) questions, and code-related questions. IBM provides assistance via telephone and, if available, electronic access, only to your information systems (IS) technical support personnel during the normal business hours (published prime shift hours) of your IBM support center. (This assistance is not available to your end users.) IBM provides Severity 1 assistance 24 hours a day, every day of the year. For additional details, consult your IBM Software Support Handbook at

Software Subscription and Support does not include assistance for the design and development of applications, your use of programs in other than their specified operating environment, or failures caused by products for which IBM is not responsible under this agreement.

IBM Operational Support Services -- SoftwareXcel

Yes

System i Software Maintenance applies

Yes

Variable charges apply

No

Educational allowance available

IT system security involves protecting systems and information through prevention, detection, and response to improper access from within and outside your enterprise. Improper access can result in information being altered, destroyed, or misappropriated or can result in misuse of your systems to attack others. Without a comprehensive approach to security, no IT system or product should be considered completely secure and no single product or security measure can be completely effective in preventing improper access. IBM systems and products are designed to be part of a comprehensive security approach, which will necessarily involve additional operational procedures, and may require other systems, products, or services to be most effective. IBM does not warrant that systems and products are immune from the malicious or illegal conduct of any party.

Electronic Service Agent and the IBM Electronic Support web portal are dedicated to providing fast, exceptional support to IBM Systems customers. The IBM Electronic Service Agent tool is a no-additional-charge tool that proactively monitors and reports hardware events, such as system errors, performance issues, and inventory. The Electronic Service Agent tool can help you stay focused on your company's strategic business initiatives, save time, and spend less effort managing day-to-day IT maintenance issues. Servers enabled with this tool can be monitored remotely around the clock by IBM Support all at no additional cost to you.

Now integrated into the base operating system of AIX® 5.3, AIX 6.1, and AIX 7.1, Electronic Service Agent is designed to automatically and electronically report system failures and utilization issues to IBM , which can result in faster problem resolution and increased availability. System configuration and inventory information collected by the Electronic Service Agent tool also can be viewed on the secure Electronic Support web portal, and used to improve problem determination and resolution by you and the IBM support team. To access the tool main menu, simply type "smitty esa_main", and select "Configure Electronic Service Agent ." In addition, ESA now includes a powerful Web user interface, giving the administrator easy access to status, tool settings, problem information, and filters. For more information and documentation on how to configure and use Electronic Service Agent , refer to

The IBM Electronic Support portal is a single Internet entry point that replaces the multiple entry points traditionally used to access IBM Internet services and support. This portal enables you to gain easier access to IBM resources for assistance in resolving technical problems. The My Systems and Premium Search functions make it even easier for Electronic Service Agent tool-enabled customers to track system inventory and find pertinent fixes.

Benefits

Increased uptime: The Electronic Service Agent tool is designed to enhance the Warranty or Maintenance Agreement by providing faster hardware error reporting and uploading system information to IBM Support. This can translate to less wasted time monitoring the "symptoms," diagnosing the error, and manually calling IBM Support to open a problem record. Its 24 x 7 monitoring and reporting mean no more dependence on human intervention or off-hours customer personnel when errors are encountered in the middle of the night.

Security: The Electronic Service Agent tool is designed to be secure in monitoring, reporting, and storing the data at IBM . The Electronic Service Agent tool securely transmits either via the Internet (HTTPS or VPN) or modem, and can be configured to communicate securely through gateways to provide customers a single point of exit from their site. Communication is one way. Activating Electronic Service Agent does not enable IBM to call into a customer's system. System inventory information is stored in a secure database, which is protected behind IBM firewalls. It is viewable only by the customer and IBM . The customer's business applications or business data is never transmitted to IBM .

More accurate reporting: Since system information and error logs are automatically uploaded to the IBM Support center in conjunction with the service request, customers are not required to find and send system information, decreasing the risk of misreported or misdiagnosed errors. Once inside IBM , problem error data is run through a data knowledge management system and knowledge articles are appended to the problem record.

Customized support: Using the IBM ID entered during activation, customers can view system and support information in the "My Systems" and "Premium Search" sections of the Electronic Support website at

My Systems provides valuable reports of installed hardware and software using information collected from the systems by Electronic Service Agent . Reports are available for any system associated with the customer's IBM ID. Premium Search combines the function of search and the value of Electronic Service Agent information, providing advanced search of the technical support knowledgebase. Using Premium Search and the Electronic Service Agent information that has been collected from your system, customers are able to see search results that apply specifically to their systems.

For more information on how to utilize the power of IBM Electronic Services, contact your IBM Systems Services Representative, or visit

Pricing terms

Prices in the following PDF prices link are suggested list prices on day of announcement for the U.S. only. They are provided for your information only. Dealer prices may vary, and prices may also vary by country. IBM list price does not include tax or shipping and is subject to change without notice.

Windows is a trademark of Microsoft Corporation in the United States, other countries, or both.

Other company, product, and service names may be trademarks or service marks of others.

Terms of use

IBM products and services which are announced and available in your country can be ordered under the applicable standard agreements, terms, conditions, and prices in effect at the time. IBM reserves the right to modify or withdraw this announcement at any time without notice. This announcement is provided for your information only. Additional terms of use are located at